Many Shades of Grey

Crested tern, Thalasseus bergii

Crested terns photographed at Montague Island Nature Reserve whilst boating. Over 90 bird species have been identified on the Island Reserve. Fifteen species of birds nest there, including the highly vocal crested tern. I loved the colours of the setting, with different shades of greys, contrasting with the abstract poo.

Montague Island Nature Reserve, New South Wales

Canon Power Shot SX50 HS, 4.3-215.0 mm, 1/800, f/6.3, ISO 80, handheld

The assassination

Robber fly, unidentified species; Common blue-banded bee, Amegilla cingulata

In our home oasis, a profusion of flowers attracts numerous insect species. Where there are plentiful insects, predators lie in wait. This unidentified brown robber fly seized its opportunity to prey on a blue-banded bee. I was ready with a recently new Christmas gift to capture ‘The Assassination’.

Grafton, New South Wales

Panasonic DMC–FZ200, Leica at 108 mm, 1/125, f/4, ISO 100, handheld

The Dancer

Common dolphin, Delphinus delphis

I was out boating in our inflatable when we encountered a pod of common dolphins. Porpoises can be a tricky subject as you never know when or where they will surface. Being patient and quick really helps!

Dalmeny, New South Wales

Canon EOS 7D, EF100-400 mm f/ 4.5-5.6L, 1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 320, handheld

Frogfish

Striate anglerfish, Antennarius striatus

I spent our entire dive looking for frogfish. They are so well camouflaged amongst the sandy rock and can be impossible to spot. Right at the end of our dive, after 70 minutes, nearing our exit point, I suddenly noticed this beautiful, yellow-patterned frogfish.

Tweed River, New South Wales

Sony Ilce-6000, Sony E PZ 16-50 mm f3.5-5.6 OSS at 25 mm, 1/160, f/20, ISO 200, Inon Z240 strobe, handheld

Morning Mist

Eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus

An early morning start, kayaking on Tanja Lagoon. I managed to capture this picture of an eastern grey kangaroo jumping across the lagoon through the mist. It’s not common to see them in the water. I loved the colours of the morning sunrise.

Tanja Lagoon, New South Wales

Canon Power Shot SX50 HS, 4.3-215.0 mm, 1/400, f/8, ISO 100, handheld

Weathered

I was walking along a beach in Port Macquarie, NSW, looking to take photos when my attention was drawn to a cluster of weathered, craggy rocks amongst the relentless waves. In this photograph, I wanted to show the simple, undeniable beauty of the timeworn rocks and the magnificent seascape.

Shelly Beach, Port Macquarie, New South Wales

Canon 5D Mk III, Canon 17-40 mm f/4 L USM, 1.3, f/22, ISO 50, tripod, NiSi circular polariser, Cokin 3 Stop 100 x 150 mm square ND filter, NiSi V5 filter holder

Grubfish

Grubfish, Parapercis sp

Whilst sheltering out of a moderate current I noticed this grubfish resting on a rock looking at me. I couldn’t resist taking its picture as it stared at my camera lens. I love it when sea creatures seem as curious about us as we are of them.

Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, New South Wales

Sony Ilce-6000, Sony E PZ 16-50 mm f3.5-5.6 OSS, 1/160, f/13, ISO 200, Inon Z240 strobe, handheld

Sylvia

I wanted to capture the serenity of this waterfall and a long exposure was needed to capture this tranquillity. Knee-deep in water, I composed my shot and took multiple exposures. I converted this to black and white as I liked the contrast between the black rock and the sun struck milky water.

Sylvia Falls, Blue Mountains, New South Wales

Nikon D3100, Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24 mm f/3.5-4.5G ED, 6, f/13, ISO 100, tripod

Spotted Python

Spotted python, Antaresia maculosa

This image depicts a young spotted python slithering over a small termite mound in the breathtaking bushland of Cape York in northern Queensland, Australia. I felt very privileged to have the opportunity to capture the beauty of this magnificent reptile.

Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland

Canon EOS 5DSR, Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 USM macro lens, 1/200, f/14, ISO 100, Elinchrom studio flash with Aurora softbox, handheld

The Busy Weaver

Spider, Arachnida unidentified species

I was out spotlighting in Tanja one night, when I saw this tiny arachnid with beautiful colouring. I especially loved the delicate web and its symmetry. The detail of both the spider and web is simply amazing!

Tanja, New South Wales

Canon EOS 5D Mk II, EF100 mm/ 2.8 macro USM, 1/60, f/11, ISO 400, handheld